The Short Answer: Three Districts
Nebraska is represented by three members in the U.S. House of Representatives, meaning the state is divided into three congressional districts. Historically, the state had as many as six districts, but population changes over the decades led to consolidation. The current configuration generally splits the state into three distinct regions: the 1st District, which includes the capital city of Lincoln and much of eastern Nebraska; the 2nd District, centered on Omaha and its immediate suburbs in Douglas County; and the vast, rural 3rd District, which covers the western two-thirds of the state.
Did They Change? Yes, After the 2020 Census
Like all states, Nebraska was required to redraw its congressional district boundaries following the 2020 U.S. Census to ensure each district has a roughly
equal population. This process, known as redistricting, occurs every ten years. The new maps, which were passed by the state's unicameral legislature and signed into law in September 2021, took effect for the 2022 elections and will remain in place through the 2030 cycle. While redistricting is a routine procedure, the specific changes made in 2021 were the subject of intense political debate.
The Political Fight Over the 'Blue Dot'
The main controversy during the 2021 redistricting session centered on the 2nd District. Covering Omaha, this district is an urban and suburban island of political competitiveness in a deeply Republican state. It has become known as Nebraska’s “Blue Dot” because it has occasionally voted for Democratic presidential candidates, most recently in 2008 and 2020. The Republican-led legislature passed a new map that altered the 2nd District by moving a portion of suburban Sarpy County into it while adding the reliably Republican, rural Saunders County. Democrats and non-partisan watchdog groups argued this was a partisan gerrymander, designed to dilute the influence of more Democratic-leaning urban voters in Omaha and make the district safer for a Republican representative. An initial proposal to split the city of Omaha itself failed to overcome a filibuster, leading to the eventual compromise map.
Why It Matters for the Presidency
The fight over Nebraska’s district lines has national implications because of the state's unique method of awarding its Electoral College votes. Unlike the winner-take-all system used in 48 other states, Nebraska (along with Maine) awards an electoral vote to the winner of each congressional district. The statewide winner gets the remaining two electoral votes. Because the 2nd District is a swing district, its single electoral vote is a significant prize in close presidential elections. The 2020 election saw Joe Biden win the 2nd District, securing one electoral vote from Nebraska even though Donald Trump won the state overall. The changes made during the 2021 redistricting were widely seen as an effort to make it more difficult for a Democratic presidential candidate to repeat that feat in future elections.
